MWPAI Bulletin March 2012 by Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute

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LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel March 4 through April 29

he dramatic art of a significant emerging literary genre will be explored in the exhibition, LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel, on view March 4 through April 29 in the Museum of Art. In this fascinating look at the development and current practices of sequential art, also known as the graphic novel, LitGraphic showcases 200 original paintings, drawings, storyboards, notebooks, comic books, photographs, and a documentary film, offering insight into the lives of the artists and the nature of their work. The impact on art discourse and the surrounding public community will be deepened and heightened by the powerful literary element of the exhibition.

tion of drawings by cartoonist William Steig, creator of the character Shrek, and an exhibition of Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon comics. Published in book form, graphic novels employ words and pictures to address thought-provoking subjects that will serve as the thematic framework for the exhibition. Commentary by artists and curators focusing on recurring subjects, artistic and cultural influences, and the climate that impacts the creative process will be woven throughout the exhibition where contemporary art meets traditional America. A growing number of artists are choosing to express themselves through graphic novels, which have received increased recognition in the popular sector, in noted periodicals including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and in classrooms, libraries, and bookstores throughout the United States and abroad. A graphic novel employs the technique of cinematic narrative, developed by comic-book artists, telling the story through metaphors and visual images, particularly images of action. Graphic novels, with their antiheroes and visual appeal, have started to gain the interest and consideration of the art and literary establishment. Focused on subjects as diverse as the nature of relationships, the perils of war, and the meaning of life, graphic novels comprise the fastest-growing sections of many bookstores.

Featured artists and writers include pioneers Lynd Ward (Gods’ Man) and Will Eisner (The Spirit) as well as contemporaries including Sue Coe and Marc Hempel, whose illustrations for Neil Gaiman’s groundbreaking Sandman are on view also.

LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel is organized and toured by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Mary E. Murray, MWPAI Curator of Modern and Peter Kuper, Untitled #43. Illustration for The System. Airbrush, watercolor, colored Contemporary Art, said pencil, and collage on paper. Collection of the artist. ©1996 Peter Kuper. All rights Sponsored by comics have always been an reserved. important influence on modern and contemporary artists, from Lyonel Feininger to Willem DeKooning and Roy Lichtenstein “The art of these publications is Admission to LitGraphic more than light entertainment, it is serious commentary on contemMWPAI Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Free porary culture, and we are excited to present this important compoGeneral Admission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7 nent of visual culture to our patrons,” she added. Murray noted that Students ages 7-18; College Students (with Valid ID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4 more than 60 years ago, the Museum of Art showcased an exhibiChildren 6 and Under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Free Group Tours (20 or More) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Per Person; $6

Members’ Exhibition Opening and Reception Saturday, March 3 5 to 7 p.m. Museum of Art

M U S E U M E D U C AT I O N P R O G R A M S Art and Yoga

Teen/Adult Comic Workshop

For Mind, Body and Spirit Saturdays March 3, 10, 24, 31 and April 7, 14,28 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Register in advance for all seven: $45 MWPAI members; $65 general public Per class drop in fee: $10 MWPAI members; $15 general public Meet in the Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court

The Five Page Folded Mini Comic (aka foldy) Friday, April 6, 2 to 5 p.m. Matt Madden, Cartoonist and LitGraphic Artist Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court $15 MWPAI Members; $25 general public Space is limited.

All levels of ability are welcome. Wear comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.

Gallery Talk First Friday Shorts Meet in the Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court Free and Open to the Public

March Book Selection Local Author Reading/Discussion and Book Signing

Learn more about the permanent collection and special exhibitions with these short, 15-minute talks in the galleries.

Friday, March 2, 1:10 p.m. 75th Anniversary Gift: Thomas C. Eakins Bronze Sculptures Anne Redfern, Museum of Art Docent

Lecture Series Museum Auditorium Free for MWPAI members $5 general public Public Opening Lecture Manga in the Context of the Graphic Novel Sunday, March 4, 1:30 p.m. Oneika Russell, Artist and Current Ph.D. Candidate in Film, Video and Media Art at Kyoto Seika University

Make a mini comic with Matt Madden. The idea is to fold a single sheet of paper four times so that you end up with a little booklet of 2 1/8 x 2 3/4 . The smallest size is your cover. When you open it, it doubles in size and you can draw two panels or a wide splash panel. Open it again and you get a tall page, once again and you get a landscape, half-page canvas to work with. Then you open up the sheet all the way to reveal the complete second side of the sheet, which could be anything from a splash-page to a dense, Chris Ware-inspired diagram. The result is a short story that literally unfolds as you read it!

Thomas C. Eakins, American, 1844 - 1916 Knitting, 1882-1883, Bronze. Framed: 22 3/8 x 18 11/16in. (56.8 x 47.5cm), 75th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart P. Fed, 2011, in honor of Paul D. Schweizer, Director of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Museum of Art

Ms. Russell will discuss the rise and aesthetics of Manga, a Japanese art form, as it compares to the graphic novel. The lecture will focus on Mangaâ€™s role in Japanese society, its popular appeal and political usage. Join us for refreshments in the Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court following the lecture.

Demanding Respect: Comic Books Go Legit Sunday, March 25, 1:30 p.m. Paul Lopes, Author and Associate Professor of Sociology at Colgate University

Unraveling Anne by Laurel Saville Thursday, March 15, 6 p.m. Museum Auditorium Free and Open to the Public Book signing and refreshments follow in the Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court. Local Author Laurel Saville will read from Unraveling Anne, a memoir about her mother, Anne Ford, fashion designer, artist and once successful model living in L.A. found brutally murdered in 1983 in a burned-out West Hollywood building. For more information on the author and the book go to www.unravelinganne.com. Attend the March 14 Noon LunchArt Video The Cool School about the artists of the Ferus Gallery in L.A. who were an integral part of Anne Fordâ€™s life in the 60s. A limited number of books are available to purchase at the MWPAI Gift Gallery.

May 17 Book Discussion Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling

LitGraphic Comic Competition Finish the Story Visit our website mwpai.org, for everything you need to compete by completing the comic begun by cartoonist Matt Madden which he set at the MWPAI Museum of Art.

Professor Paul Lopes, author of Demanding Respect: the Evolution of the American Comic Book, will present a lecture that places the rise of the graphic novel within the broader history of American comic books and the long struggle by artists and others to legitimize this sequential art as a serious literary and visual art form in the United States.

Time for Tots: Story and Art

99 Ways to Tell a Story: Comics, Constraints, & Creativity Friday, April 6, 10:45 p.m. Matt Madden, Cartoonist, LitGraphic Artist and Author of 99 ways to Tell a Story, and Drawing Words & Writing Pictures

Children and their adult companions are invited to join us each month on a Thursday morning or Saturday afternoon to listen to the story of the month and visit the galleries to look at art that connects with the story. Recommended for children ages 3 to 5.

Cartoonist Matt Madden will share insights about his creative process and talk about how his interest in the power of stories brought him to the comics medium. Madden also teaches at the School of Visual Arts and is a series editor of The Best American Comics. Programs offered convenient to teachers. All teachers will receive a certificate of attendance which may be used to pursue professional development credit. Teachers must register in advance by contacting the museum education department at 797-0000, extension 2146 or mgianetti@mwpai.org Please leave your name and number and the programs you are registering for.

White is for Blueberry by George Shannon, Pictures by Laura Dronzek Thursday, March 8, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 1:30 p.m. Art Odyssey Interactive Gallery Free and Open to the Public

LunchArt Videos Wednesdays at Noon Easton Pribble Conference Room Free and Open to the Public Refreshments served, bring your lunch. Wednesday, March 7 LitGraphic (30 min.) Followed by a Guided Tour of the LitGraphic exhibition Free with exhibition admission. This film contains interviews with several of the LitGraphic artists, a great introduction to the exhibition.

State of the Arts

Support for museum education programs is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency NYSCA

M U S E U M E D U C AT I O N P R O G R A M S Wednesday, March 14 The Cool School (86 min.) This film examines the 1960s rise of the Los Angeles modern art scene, championed by the Ferus Gallery which exhibited artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns as their careers were on the rise. Artists featured include Ed Kienholz, Ed Ruscha, Craig Kauffman, Wallace Berman, Ed Moses, and Robert Irwin and others who were main supporters of the LA art movement. (View this video then return for local author Laurel Saville’s reading from her novel Unraveling Anne, 6 p.m., Thursday, March 15.)

Wednesday, March 21 Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist (96 min.)

Meet PrattMWP Sophomore Sarah Margolin Hometown: Candia, NH Major: Art Education Career Ambition: Elementary or Middle School Teacher.

Activities on Campus: Student Council and Student Gallery.

Favorite Class: Ceramics, Drawing, Child and Adolescent Development.

Why I Chose PrattMWP: I chose PrattMWP because it’s a great school with small class sizes.

What Makes PrattMWP Special? PrattMWP is special because of its wonderful art classes with teachers that really care about your progress and want to see you grow.

Arguably the most influential person in American comics, Will Eisner, as artist, entrepreneur, innovator and visual storyteller, enjoyed a career that encompassed comic books from their early beginnings in the 1930s to their development as graphic novels in the 1990s.

Upcoming April Performances

The Graphic Novel in Film Ghost World, 2011, 111 mins. Thursday, March 22, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Museum Auditorium Directed by Terry Zwigoff, United States, Rated R. Tickets are on sale 30 minutes prior to each screening. Matinee Admission: MWPAI Members $5; General Admission $7; Students $4. Evening Admission: MWPAI Members $6; General Admission $8; Students $4.

Concerts in the Court

Susan Werner Saturday, April 14 • 8 p.m. Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court

Ghost World is based on one of the most acclaimed graphic novels ever about the adventures of two recent high school graduates by comic book artist Daniel Clowes, who also wrote the screenplay (which received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay).Starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johannson and Steve Buscemi. Over the past 15 or 20 years, comic book artists and writers like Mr. Clowes, Harvey Pekar, the Hernandez brothers and R. Crumb (the subject of Mr. Zwigoff's wonderful 1995 documentary) have explored the tedium and mystery of contemporary American life with more wit and insight than most novelists or filmmakers. –A.O. Scott

Docent Guided Tours of LitGraphic Thursday, March 22, 12:30 and 6 p.m. Lit Graphic exhibition open until 7 p.m.

Great Artists Series

Complexions Contemporary Ballet Saturday, April 28 • 7:30 p.m. Stanley Theatre

Prior to seeing Ghost World, take a guided tour of the LitGraphic exhibition. Free with exhibition admission.

March Guided Tours

Works by Local Weaver in Gift Gallery

LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. Free with Exhibition Admission Permanent Collection Sunday March 11, 2 p.m. Free and Open to the Public Meet in the Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court Education program tickets may be purchased through the Ticket Office at 797-0055 or 800-754-0797 or online at www.mwpai.org. Tickets for lectures and film may be purchased at the door. Members must show their membership card at the door for any events listed as “free to members.”

For more information on these and other program offerings, visit the Institute’s website, www.mwpai.org.

ocal weaver Dianne Leach of Rome has a colorful assortment of handmade woven cotton bookmarks and cotton tassels at the Gift Gallery. Dianne has been making tassels and weaving for more than 20 years. She is inspired by the vibrant colors of the yarn and was recently inspired by a class for band weaving on an inkle loom. A hand-woven bookmark is a great gift idea for that special book lover.

Special Promotion for the month of March at the Gift Gallery A Select Group of Children's Arts and Crafts Books 30% Off 40% Off for MWPAI Members Gift Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Great Artists Series Presents a Grand Celtic Musical Spectacle of Hope March 4 • 7:30 p.m. music on what became American sounds - whether it be Bluegrass, Appalachian, Country and Western or the great songs and ballads from Shenandoah to the songs of the American Civil War.

iery passionate music creates a thundering tapestry to showcase the finest singers and dancers of the Celtic world as the Great Artists Series presents Celtic Nights: Journey of Hope 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 4 in the Stanley Theatre.

A preconcert talk with the artists or their tour staff takes place in the Romano Room (former “Red Room”) at 6:45 p.m. Questions are encouraged; seating is limited. For tickets contact the Performing Arts Ticket Office at 797-0055 or 800-754-0797 or the Stanley Theatre at 724-4000. Tickets are also available online at www.mwpai.org or through any TicketMaster outlet.

Direct from Ireland, Celtic Nights expertly weaves together the lilting melodies and plaintive lyrics of the rich Celtic heritage to tell the story of a nation. In this stirring tale of the Celtic experience, the audience is invited to travel along on a journey of hope, transported in time through traditional ballads, vivid choreography and the story of a people struggling to find their place in a changing world.

Sponsored by

Sponsored by Dr. Cynthia Parlato, Dr. Kenneth Novak and Dr. Douglas Hurd

Anna Tobin D’Ambrosio Named Director and Chief Curator at MWPAI Museum of Art

nna Tobin D’Ambrosio has been appointed to the position of Director and Chief Curator at the Museum of Art, where she has served as the Assistant Director since 2007 and the Curator of Decorative Arts since 1989. She will replace Dr. Paul D. Schweizer, who has assumed the role of Director Emeritus. MWPAI President Anthony Spiridigloizzi noted, “Anna is passionate about the Museum, its staff, the collection, and our important role in the regional and national community. She has been an important force in the world of 19th-century American decorative arts since her arrival at the Museum in 1989. Her acquisitions for the permanent collection, groundbreaking exhibitions, and scholarly studies have earned her justifiable regard among her peers. During this time, she has played a significantly increasing role in the administration. Now, with her appointment as Director and Chief Curator, the Museum will benefit from her administrative abilities as well as the insight she brings to the Museum, its renowned collection, and the public it serves.” D’Ambrosio holds a master’s degree from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and has furthered her studies through the Attingham Program, Victorian Society Summer School, and a Winterthur research fellowship. She received her bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA. At MWPAI she oversees the 19th-century American decorative arts collection. During her tenure she has added important cabinetmakers including Herter Brothers, Daniel Pabst, Kimbel and Cabus, and Charles Rohlfs, to the collection as well as significant examples of silver by Tiffany & Co., Gorham Manufacturing, and George Sheibler. D’Ambrosio has reinstalled the Museum’s historical American painting and decorative arts collection in renovated galleries, and overseen renovations to the Museum’s 1850 Italianate building. She has organized dozens of exhibitions at the Museum of Art, and administered large interdivisional projects, including last summer’s Wedded Perfection: Two Hundred Years of Wedding Gowns, which doubled the Museum’s attendance during its three-month run. D’Ambrosio has lectured extensively throughout the country. Her exhibition A Brass Menagerie: Metalwork of the Aesthetic Movement was called “One of the small, must-see exhibitions this season,” in an August 2005 article in The New York Times. The accompanying catalogue won four awards including citations from the Victorian Society in America, the Victorian Society Metropolitan Chapter, The Association of Art Museum Curators, and Historic New England. D’Ambrosio’s periodical publications include articles for The Magazine Antiques, 19th Century (the magazine of the Victorian Society in America), and book reviews. Her 1999 book Masterpieces of American Furniture from the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute won the 1999 Victorian Society in America Ruth Emory Book Award for its contribution to furniture scholarship. She also contributed to and edited the book Jewels of Time: Watches from the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute in 2001 and oversaw the corresponding five-year-long national and international tour of the Museum’s 16th-through 20th-century European watch collection.

Fountain Elms Society News

embers of the Institute’s Fountain Elms Society gathered on the terrace of the Proctor’s ancestral home for the Society’s annual Holiday Reception. While enjoying Victorian inspired sweets and savories, members were delighted to mingle with special guests Brent Ridge and Josh KilmerPurcell, stars of the reality television show The Fabulous Beekman Boys. President Tony Spiridigloizzi thanked those assembled for their generous support of the Institute while recounting the milestones experienced over the past year, including the 50th anniversary of the Johnson building, the 10th anniversary of Pratt MWP and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Institute. He also took the opportunity to congratulate The Beekman Boys on their efforts to revitalize the village of Sharon Springs and allowed that it is his hope that MWPAI can play a similar role in our own community. The Fountain Elms Society honors Institute members who voluntarily support the Institute with gifts of $1,000 or more each year. The Society sponsors a number of special events annually. The next anticipated outing will be a trip to Syracuse Stage in March, 2012 to enjoy a performance of Red, the Tony award winning play based on the life of Mark Rothko. MWPAI members interested in exploring membership in the Fountain Elms Society may contact Director of Development Joe Silberlicht for an invitation. jsilberlicht@mwpai.org or 797-0000 ext. 2297

March Campus Store Specials Monday, March 19 through Friday, March 30

40% OFF Sculpey Soft and Easy to Use Oven Bake Modeling Clay

45% OFF M. Graham & Co. Gouache

25% OFF Van Gogh Watercolor Paints 10ml Tubes Campus Store Hours Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 315-797-0000 ext 2227 Campus Store is located in the Student Center 1216 State Street Please Note: Campus Store will be closed Monday March 12 through Friday March 16 (Spring Break)

Film Series Titles Available Online and By Phone Titles will be announced as they become available on our website at mwpai.org., Facebook (fb.mwpai.org) or by phone 797-0055, option 3. Become a part of our film series email list to receive the latest updates by contacting rfrable@mwpai.org. Advertisements will also appear on the last Monday of each month in the Observer-Dispatch. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, however, this helps ensure that you are presented with only the latest and finest films.

Films are shown on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. All films are shown in 35mm format, with a state-of-the-art Dolby surround sound system. Comfortable seats give every patron an unobstructed view of our large screen. Admission for Matinee screenings is $7 general admission and $5 for MWPAI Members. Admission for Evening screenings is $8 general admission and $6 for MWPAI Members. Admission for students with valid identification is $4 at all screenings. Tickets are on sale 30 minutes prior to each screening. Film Passbooks for discounted admission to 10 screenings are available for MWPAI members for $45 and General Admission for $60. For State of the Arts information call the MWPAI Performing Arts Ticket Office, 7970055, 800-754-0797. This series is made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

NYSCA

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS (and renewing members providing additional support at higher levels) Fountain Elms Society Gary & Judy Kavney Mr. & Mrs. Christopher J. Kelly Harry Sturges

Presidentâ€™s Circle Bernard & Jeanne Brown

Patron Warren & Natalie Brown Dr. Angela M. Elefante, Esq. Dr. Patrick & Marcia Knapp Mary McLean Evans

Contributor Dr. & Mrs. Anthony F. Aveni Rabbi & Mrs. Henry Bamberger Stephen W. Barth & Denise Hash Ellie & Nigel Bolland Mr. & Mrs. Franco M. Caparello Thomas A. & Susan W. Conklin John P. Farrell, Sr. David & Suzanne Firsching Naomi Guttman & Jonathan Mead Dennis & Rosanne Hart Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Heck Sarah Hinman Dana & Cathy Jerrard Mark C. Kovacs Helen A. Levy Theresa D. Mack Russell and Emily Marcus Robert Martin & Gretchen Herringer Sofia Novoa & Chip Bassett Jane & Anthony Rabasca Dana K. & Frances R. Roecker Family of Robert W. Turner Mr. & Mrs. Dwight E. Vicks

Family/Household Mr. & Mrs. Tim Berquist Jim & Antonia Burke Joyce C. & Wayne C. Clinch Walter & Genevieve DeSocio Rahel Elmer-Reger & Tim Reger

John Murphy & Marilee Ensign Lianne & Dan Fenn Eileen Foote & Melissa Foote Michael & Susan Getnick Mary H. & Susan G. Jones Gregory Karl & Elizabeth Bowers Tatyana Misyulya & Kseniya Klyachko Will & Joanne Morotti Peggy Pavelka & Richard Lonoff Mr. & Mrs. Richard Reister Karen E. Sammon/Wm. J. Cardamone Dr. Marguerite H. Sasson Frank Sczerzenie & Mary Kiewicz Douglas W. Stinson Wes & Helen Storm Gerald & Olive Trask Maren Vantine & Creighton Newsom John & Jean Vicik Carol & Benjamin Wood

310 Genesee Street Utica, New York 13502

Individual Kay Albright Colleen Ashmore Meaghen Baldwin Angela Mia Belmonte W. Pearl Bowker Colleen Bryla Schreppel Alan Copeland Hannah D'Accurzio Constance Dodge Hope Garramone Christine Heller Terri Hobson Ms Carolyn Iannone Ms. Donna LaPorte John Lauber Maria Mandronico Christine McNaughton Felicia Medici Lynne Pascale Ms. Anne Reilly Violet Scibior Shirley Swan

Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Information and Hours Museum Hours (including Fountain Elms): Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m. Performing Arts Ticket Office Hours: Mon.Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., one hour before performances and 30 minutes before films. Phone: 797-0055 or 1-800-754-0797 Art Odyssey: Interactive Gallery Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m., School of Art Gallery Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to noon. Library Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. noon-5 p.m.

Coming June 17 to the Museum of Art

For information, call (315) 797-0000 (Voice and TDD) General program support for the Museum of Art, performing arts and film presentations is made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute is a prominent regional fine arts center serving diverse audiences through three program divisionsâ€”Museum of Art, Performing Arts, and School of Art. The Institute also offers art reference and music libraries, an active membership program, a Gift Gallery, and outstanding rental facilities ideal for public programs and private events. Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute 310 Genesee Street Utica, New York 13502 Telephone (315) 797-0000 Fax (315) 797-5608 www.mwpai.org Free Parking

Major Institute support provided by

MARCH EVENTS 2 Friday

7 Wednesday

14 Wednesday

23 Friday

First Friday Shorts Gallery Talk 75th Anniversary Gift: Thomas C. Eakins Bronze Sculptures 1:10 p.m., Museum Galleries.

LunchArt Video: LitGraphic Noon, Easton Pribble Conference Room.

LunchArt Video: The Cool School Noon, Easton Pribble Conference Room.